Moment of Truth: How Our Government's Addiction to Spending and Power Will Destroy Everything that Makes America Great

By Marc Nuttle

With the Christian vote more widely polarized than ever, Marc Nuttle offers a must-read book for conservative America. In Moment of Truth Nuttle exposes the escalating trends in our government toward regulation and overspending while taking a critical look at the increasing power of Trade Unions, and the corroding effects of the United Nations. He speaks especially to the 28 million small business owners in the country-80 percent of whom are Republican and 65 percent of whom are evangelical- arguing that these policies will be devastating to them while putting America's economic future in jeopardy. Ultimately, Nuttle demonstrates the conclusive dangers of big government when controlled by those who would lead this nation toward an irretrievable tipping point.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frontline
• Release date: Sep 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781599796987

Book preview

Marc Nuttle helped build the conservative movement that brought us Ronald Reagan. In Moment of Truth he reminds us that the power lies in our hands to create the kind of America we want to leave for our children and grandchildren.

—TOM A. COBURN, MD

U.S. Senator (R-OK)

Marc Nuttle has been there, done that, and has the T-shirt. He has insight into the political world coupled with his understanding of economics and how the two are intertwined. A must-read for anyone interested in politics or history.

—JACK FARIS

Former President, National Federation

of Independent Business

Agree or argue, but don’t ignore. Marc Nuttle’s new book is an important contribution to any discussion about the current political landscape.

—ROBERT BENNETT

U.S. Senator (R-UT)

Our children’s future is in peril with America at the tipping point. Will we do nothing as America slides into European style Socialism where the government controls and regulates individual rights and opportunities? Marc Nuttle provides the basis for actions to take and the consequences of being a passive observer.

—FRANK MCPHERSON

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Retired)

Kerr-McGee Corporation

The economic and government concepts presented in Moment of Truth are critical for every American to understand.

—RICHARD J. FOX

Co-Founder, Republican Jewish Coalition and Pennsylvania

Chairman, Ronald Reagan for President 1980

MOMENT of

TRUTH

MARC NUTTLE

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MOMENT OF TRUTH by Marc Nuttle

Published by FrontLine

Charisma Media/Charisma House Book Group

600 Rinehart Road

Lake Mary, Florida 32746

www.charismahouse.com

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Cover Designer: Judith McKittrick

Design Director: Bill Johnson

Copyright © 2008 by Marc Nuttle

All rights reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

An application to register this book for cataloging has been submitted to the Library of Congress.

International Standard Book Number: 978-1-59979-338-2

E-book ISBN: 978-1-59979-698-7

Dedication

I dedicate this book to the generations.

The past generation:

To my parents and to my mother- and father-in-law, who survived the Depression, defended us in World War II, ran a small business and a family-owned business, and passed on to me a greater opportunity than they inherited.

The present generation:

To my wife, Ann, the example of loving selflessness; my sister, Margy, a committed Christian; my in-laws and extended family who pursue their professions and family-owned businesses.

The next generations:

To my children and their spouses—Marissa, Tommy, Marci, and Blake—who demonstrate passion in their pursuit of law, ministry, and the continued tradition of a family-owned business.

And to my grandchildren—Anna, Tripp, and Jade. May they have the same freedom for self-determination and opportunity that I received from my grandparents.

At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it?—Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never!—All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.

—ABRAHAM LINCOLN

January 27, 1838, Lyceum Address

Contents

Preface: The Crucible of Change

1 For Such a Time as This

2 Milestones on the Journey

3 Religious Tolerance in Reverse

4 The Qualities of a Leader

5 For the Common Good

6 A Base Divided

7 The Challenge of Globalism

8 Where Liberty Is Denied

9 Out of the Darkness

10 World Forces of Change

11 A Rendezvous With Destiny

Notes

Acknowledgments

This book began more than thirty years ago during the Nixon administration when Governor Henry Bellmon’s run for the U.S. Senate illustrated to me that the electorate could not only handle change, but also would take control of it. Many people along the way have made contributions, and I am most grateful for the following:

I am grateful to the staff at Strang Communications, who have been most helpful with the process. They directed me to Jim Nelson Black, who was the editor for this book—and a friend who cares about the content and message of this book. I thank Sam Hammons for his lifelong friendship and personal advice on this book project. Bob Klabzuba and Mike Lynch helped in my interpretation of national and international energy economics and set an example as entrepreneurs.

Dana Murphy provided me with research and, most importantly, prayers. Brent Clark gave his advice unselfishly, and Beverly Allam endured long hours typing the manuscript and offering insightful editorial comments. Special thanks goes to Tracy Campbell for her organizational skills with this project. I have been blessed to work with Tracy for twenty-four years.

Finally I am eternally grateful to my wife and loving partner, Ann, who encouraged me, put up with countless hours of discussion, and patiently helped me organize the themes in this book.

Preface

THE CRUCIBLE OF CHANGE

Many people today feel a measure of uncertainty about our nation’s future. We may have difficulty expressing it, but many of us feel for the first time in the history of this great country that we may not be able to pass on to the next generation the same opportunities that were passed on to us. We fear that we may be losing control of our destiny and that forces beyond our control are assaulting the culture of freedom we hold dear.

Presidential politics can be unsettling, as candidates of every persuasion battle for attention. They come at us from the Left and the Right, each one claiming to be the answer to America’s prayers. They state their claims and smile for the cameras, but still we wonder. Attacks from political opponents can be brutal and humiliating, even in the best of times. We wonder how faithful the various candidates will be to our deeply held beliefs and concerns, so we watch and wait. It’s important to be cautious, but this is no time to stand on the sidelines.

Thanks to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, we the people do have a voice in politics. We can vote, and we can speak to others about our concerns. We can have the confidence of knowing that there are things we can do to protect our children and preserve our nation’s godly heritage. Furthermore, we have a God-given mandate to be involved in the choice of our leaders. It’s every American’s solemn duty, and that is the real message of this book.

The questions we’re faced with most often are how to maintain the balance between government programs and individual liberty. Government may very well provide security for the here and now, but sacrificing personal liberty for safety is never a reasonable choice. Thousands of brave Americans, from Bunker Hill to Baghdad, have shed their blood to preserve our heritage of freedom and independence. Their gift to us is the liberty and prosperity we enjoy today. Any suggestion of ignoring that great sacrifice ought to be unthinkable.

Make no mistake; the decisions we make and the leaders we elect in 2008 will determine the future of this nation for a generation. Are we willing to trade our children’s future and their freedom for the promises of politicians? Does anyone honestly believe that Washington knows best how we should live our lives? The dividing lines are clear between those on one side who believe the state has all the answers and those on the other who trust the inherent wisdom of the American people. Both sides have persuasive arguments and sophisticated political machinery behind them. The decisions believers make at the polls must be measured against our faith in God and His requirements for living a life of faithfulness and trust in Him. But how will we measure up?

We find ourselves today in a time of transition as great as any in history. The Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the Second World War were all momentous times that changed the world. But today we’ve come to a time of even greater change, brought about by the rise of China, the development of the Internet, and the emergence of what we now call nonstate states, meaning political and ideological communities, such as al Qaeda or OPEC, that act with the authority and force of governments. In addition, issues such as climate change and the global AIDS epidemic are changing the political equation. Together, these forces will impact coming generations in ways that will require revolutionary new kinds of problem solving.

We will need great deliberation about the way government works. We will need a new assessment of our national priorities and a new vision for what we want the American culture to become. As we consider all the claims and counterclaims made by pundits and politicians, we will also need sound judgment and godly counsel. As storm clouds continue to gather on the horizon, we often fear that darkness is approaching, and there’s no doubt we will face many challenges in the years ahead. We can’t avoid it. But with God’s help, we can prepare ourselves for what’s to come. We can overcome adversity through a renewed commitment to the principles of liberty handed down to us by the founders of our nation.

For help on action steps you can take to make a difference in your future and that of our nation, see networking possibilities discussed.

A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS

During my career as a Washington lawyer, political consultant, and international adviser, I’ve witnessed up close and personal the unbelievable hardship placed on families living under Communist rule, and I will relate some of those stories in these pages. Communism claimed to provide all things for all people. All they had to do was give up their freedom, including the freedom to worship a God greater than government. But despite all the rhetoric and unrealistic promises, Communism proved to be the greatest evil ever imposed on mankind.

The performance of Communist regimes is there for the entire world to see, and it is a record of utter and absolute failure. Even in prosperous countries such as China, Communism has had to yield to democratic principles of liberty and free enterprise in order to survive. Yet, the Socialist roots of total government control refuse to die, and the Socialist roots of the European economic system, favored by many on the political Left, pose an even greater threat to America’s future.

In the following chapters I will discuss all these things and many other issues the American people need to think about in the coming months. To use our voices and votes effectively, it will help for each of us to have a coherent grasp of these transitional forces and the history that has put them in play. By drawing upon my own thirty-plus-year career in national and international diplomacy, I can offer several real-world examples from the lives of men and women who found themselves in the crucible of change.

I will explore some of the consequences of the choices we’re making in this country today. How can we avoid being deceived by false choices? How can we be sure we will be able to determine our children’s future as we see fit? What can we do now to improve the situation in this country? And what questions should we be asking in order to balance our security with freedom and faith?

When Ronald Reagan spoke to the nation in what may be his most famous speech, a dozen years before his first presidential campaign, he warned about the dangers of compromising core principles. As a Hollywood actor, Reagan had once supported liberal causes, but when he recognized the emerging signs of liberal influence in the film industry and the risks to our freedom it entailed, he changed his views dramatically and became the standard-bearer for an authentic American conservatism.

In his 1964 speech supporting presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, Mr. Reagan defended the rights of free people to make their own choices. He said, We are told that the problem is too complex for a simple answer. They are wrong. There is no easy answer, but there is a simple answer. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right, and this policy of accommodation asks us to accept the greatest possible immorality.¹

Then governor Reagan began an ideological movement that would set the course of the United States for forty years. His leadership would protect our country as an island of freedom in a sea of Socialism, standing against the Soviet Union and the world forces of big government, big business, and big labor, acting to construct a world-managed economic system.

Compromise and appeasement, he said, are not the answer. As Winston Churchill said in a radio address to the British people during the first year of the Second World War, The destiny of man is not measured by material computation. When great forces are on the move in the world, we learn we are spirits—not animals. And the great British prime minister added that, There is something going on in time and space, and beyond time and space, which, whether we like it nor not, spells duty.²

Reagan closed his remarks by saying that, You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. Even if we fail, he said, let our children and grandchildren say of us that at least we tried. And let future generations know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that our generation did all we could do.³

It is my hope that this book may awaken the same sort of passion in your heart and that the principles discussed in these pages may provide you with new resources and a new resolve to stand defiantly against the forces of darkness. The decisions you will be asked to make over the coming year will demand wisdom, deliberation, and godly counsel. It will mean thinking clearly about the alternatives and speaking with conviction to your friends and associates. But as you do, you can be confident in the knowledge, as Paul says in Philippians 1:6, that He who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.

That may be the best encouragement of all.

Chapter 1

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

There is a tide in the affairs of men,

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.¹

—WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

There’s a growing sense of anxiety among many Americans today. We feel we’re losing control of our destiny. Many large corporations seem to be motivated by greed with little or no consideration for traditional ethical standards. Labor organizations are more concerned with controlling their members than actual productivity. Health organizations appear more concerned with making money than saving lives. And our biggest concern is that the foundational institutions of our democracy no longer seem to be acting for the greater good of the American people.

In the aftermath of the 2006 midterm elections, the approval rating of Congress fell to an all-time low of just 11 percent.² This means that 89 percent of the American public believes that Congress is not doing its job. Furthermore, 74 percent of the public believe that the nation is on the wrong track.³ There’s a sense that state legislators and local government officials are more interested in their own aggrandizement than their mission to serve the public’s interests. When the public becomes this doubtful and suspicious of the core institutions of their society, it’s only natural that they should lose hope and become fearful for the future.

At the same time, pressures are mounting around the world, casting an ominous shadow over the American psyche. What are we to think of the rise of China and increased competition for jobs and manufacturing? What’s going on with the sudden emergence of India and the new challenges in software production and intellectual property rights? And what about the impact of the Internet on all aspects of business and culture? In addition, we’re concerned about the ongoing threat of terrorism here and abroad, and the rise of the nonstate state, all of which seem to threaten our ability to control our own destiny.

There is a growing concern among many people that they will not be able to pass on to their children a better world than the one they received from their parents and grandparents. The desire to make life better for the next generation is an admirable trait. But too often we feel as if there’s nothing we can do to make things better. The economy is undergoing such rapid and unpredictable change that many people have doubts about their future prosperity. Anxiety over illegal immigration and other pressures from abroad is growing daily. Recession appears imminent, and fuel prices have not come down.

We can see that our culture is under attack by many powerful forces from within and without our own borders. With the overwhelming flood of goods from China and other places, we’re no longer certain the United States can continue as the leading economic power in the world. Third-world countries are taking manufacturing jobs away from American workers, often with an unfair advantage. In fact, we’re no longer confident that there will even be good jobs for our children when their time comes.

BUILDING A BETTER TOMORROW

The new buzzword among many in government circles and the mass media today is globalization. But we have to wonder, why are so many people talking about global issues when we have so many problems here at home? A lot of people have lost faith in the government’s ability to act intelligently and solve America’s problems, so what makes them think they’ll do any better with problems on a global scale?

There seems to be no accountability and no one to whom we can present our petitions for redress. We may as well be back in 1775, when a distant power, such as England’s King George, in the words of the Declaration of Independence, exhibited always a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny . . . ⁴ Institutions that are supposed to act in the best interest of all Americans now seem to be acting on behalf of the few. Legal rulings that defy all the traditional standards of right and wrong are handed down routinely by the federal courts, while federal and state legislatures are busily passing half-baked new laws without any evidence of common sense, compassion, or answerability to the people.

We’ve faced tough times before, of course. In 1974, an unpopular president, Richard Nixon, resigned his presidency to save the nation the trauma of an impeachment trial. Through all the stresses of that troubled year, the public felt the same depths of anxiety we feel today. We had just experienced an unpopular war in Vietnam and were in the aftermath, dealing with deep, emotional, national wounds. Economic conservatives felt betrayed because of executed price controls, and the public felt it had been lied to and misled as a result of the Watergate cover-up.

But right in the middle of all that turmoil, something remarkable happened. Conservatives began working together at the grassroots level, city by city and state by state. By 1975 they were taking matters into their own hands, building new organizations and working together for change. They defined who they were and made no apologies for it. As a result, they became one of the most formidable political movements in modern history.

Part of that new movement was the Christian Right, but they weren’t identified that way when they first began. The Christian political movement began with groups of individuals who, state by state and district by district, took a close look at their core values and principles and then recommitted themselves to defending those values at the polls. They weren’t concerned about what the rest of the country thought. They defined themselves first and then projected their principles to the public at large. They let their standards be known, and little by little over time they took a leadership role in restoring confidence in the culture and the American way of life.

Today, in the middle of another election year, we find ourselves at a similar moment of truth.

Several of the candidates for the nation’s top job have certain attributes that are attractive. And, of course, each candidate has certain negative traits that raise questions and concerns. Part of the anxiety for conservative voters is the fact that there’s no one in the race comparable to the great communicator, Ronald Reagan, whose vision for America